Sumba Island Best Kept Secrets

 A WELL KEPT SECRET

Three decades ago Bali was thrust onto the main stage of tropical island destination travel by surfers seeking the year round “perfect wave”.

Sumba, with its south coast exposure to Indian Ocean swells from the bottom of the world, is emerging as a more affordable and more private alternative. 

Birding Indonesia's Sumba Island

Our group of four Australian and three American birders had a fine four days birding on Indonesia's Sumba Island in the Lesser Sundas. Our group scored 11of the island's 12 endemic species and a good smattering of other Lesser Sunda specialties.

Sumba Island

South of Flores, between Sumbawa and Timor there is an island where the traditional customs are among the best preserved in Nusa Tenggara. This is Sumba, a relatively large island, 11.153 sq. km. with a population that reaches about 600.000, the name of the capital is Waingapu. Much of the island consists of a flat, elevated plateau about 600m above sea level, where the coast is mostly steep and rocky. The island is divided in two regions, west and east, along ethnical and cultural borders.

Hinggi East Sumba Traditional Ikat

Hinggi, a traditional ikat cloth, is one of East Sumba’s foremost material culture. As a component of the East Sumbanese traditional man’s dress, hinggi is visually impressive. Its patterns display attractive motives, decorative and symbolic, that depict religious conviction, power, wealth, status, honor and gender prestige, based on local and foreign sources that comply to traditional standards of quality. Intrinsically it indicates hinggi’s central role in social and ritual context, making it a highly prized item among the East Sumbanese, a matter that has been taken place since ancient days, and the international audience as well.

Throughout its long history, the making of the hinggi came in contact with outside powers i.e. through trade, colonialism, education, and industrialization, including today’s international tourism. From a cloth that functioned to serve the internal culture of its producers, hinggi became a commodity for outsiders that consequently affected its aesthetical aspects. Hinggi’s patterning went through changes towards new forms adjusting to external demand, especially for the past 30 years, resulting in salient differences between hinggis made for sale and those made for internal use. Significant visual changes are that of the introduction of secular designs depicting local cultural themes such as ceremonies and mock battles, conveyed in realistic expressions with smooth lines in a coinciding asymmetric configuration within a narrative set up, replacing traditional spiritual iconography which is relatively stylistic, abstract and stiff, in a diametrical symmetric setting with no expository relation.

New hinggi designs principally sprung up from three main themes i.e. the papanggang, a spectacular burial ceremony carried out for personalities of high social status; the pasola, a ceremonial (in the past real) battle between opposing parties; and the palai ngandi, a folk tale about the groom’s kidnapping of his bride. The three themes are presented in numerous variations, partly in combination with traditional symbolic motives, which now play a minor role in the overall configuration, besides the many more without them. However, the new designs have no role in East Sumba’s tradition. Traditionally designed hinggis continue to exist due to their importance in the East Sumbanese internal culture.

East Sumba Island – Ikats and Textiles Tradition

East Sumba
East Sumba has a different climate, it is more dry and mountainous, and the people here belong to one single ethnical group with one common language. Waingapu, the capital, is located here and is a hub for transport to and from the island. There are some facilities here, but the main attractions are located west and southeast on the island. Some traditional villages are located southeast of Waingapu.

This region is better known for its “ikat” weaving. Traditionally only members of the highest clans and their personal attendants only used for special ceremonies and ikat. During important funerals the corpse was dressed in the finest textiles to make a good appearance in the afterlife, and piles of extra textiles was often sent with the dead as well. Later the Dutch started to export ikat to Europe and Java, where it quickly became very popular. Other products from here are horses and cattle. Horses are still used for transport on Sumba and are a symbol of high status; the large grass fields in the interior of the island are well suited for horse rising.

 

Handicraft:
Aside from ikat you can get others artifacts of primitive art in Sumba: Wood carvings, sculptured stones, lime containers, traditional jewellery (Mamuli,Marengo,Tabelo), basket work, long knifes( Parang), traditional bag(Kalieku), primitive musical instrument, household items and artefact for fishing or hunting.
There are 45 different clans (Suku) in Sumba and each one has their own Marapu and their own invisible spirits.

In a traditional Sumbanese house (Uma), you can find wood or stone carvings which are images of Marapu even human or animal representation.
In such house the are four pillars: one for men, one for Marapu (ancestor ) one for women and the last one for articles of value (spears, long knives, weawings, jewelry) and special plates, special earthen waterjar for Marapu. In some villages, you can still see skull trees dating from the time they were headhunters.

The horsemen of Sumba

A horseman trots happily after defeating his opponents at the Pasola Festival in Kodi, Southwest Sumba.

Every year, from February to March, hundreds of horsemen from all over Sumba Island gather at a field, to reenact a traditional battle known as pasola. Armed with blunt lances, teams joust against each other, in an age-old ritual that takes place just before the harvest. One inviolable tradition strongly held by the fighting horsemen is that their rivalry ends in the 'battlefield' and not beyond. It is an exciting and colorful tradition that over the years has attracted visitors from other parts of Indonesia and overseas. Tempo contributor Seto Wardhana filed the following report from Sumba.

Magic in Sumba

By : Kathie Armstrong Founder of the Quiksilver Foundation

A heartfelt mother-daughter experience outside a village hut on a remote jungle island proves that women of all ages, from many different backgrounds and cultures, can indeed change the world one moment at a time.

Pajura, Boxing Under the Moon Light

Tentena in District Wanokaka Coast, West Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara seem crowded communities. They come from all villages in the district is to follow the ritual Pajura.
There are 14 villages that are usually involved. Indeterminate number of participating boxing. Depends on who wants to play.

Pajura Tradition

Blood, Sweat and Cheers

 When the worm turns, the spears fly and blood flows in the wildest islands of Indonesia, where headhunting is commonplace and sacrifice appeases the gods who send the sea worms for the magical frenzy of sex in the surf that keeps Sumba safe for another year

By Ron Gluckman / Sumba, Indonesia

AFTER MAKING HIS LONG INCISION, THE PRIEST pushes aside the bloody organs and indicates that I should take a closer look. Feathers fill the air, which smells of death. Voodoo curses come to mind as I gag my refusals and peer into the gaping wound.

Ratenggaro and Wainyapu (KODI) - Southwest Sumba

Ratenggaro Village - Southwest Sumba

If you’ve got a sharp eye for funky tribal architecture and you happened to see our recent post on the back roads of Sumba, then you probably noticed that shot of Thomas fording the river backed by a series of unbelievably vertical thatched huts. That was Ratenggaro, perhaps the most stunning village in the entire Kodi tribal region (and perhaps all of Sumba).

Little story about Sumba cultures and food

Has a great and unique position respect to the Sunda Banda archipelagoes, it is one of the biggest island on the East Nusa Tenggara region beside Flores and Timor. It represents an isolated sliver of probable continental crust to the south of active volcanic islands (Sumbawa, Flores ) within the forearc basin . It is situated to the north of passage from the Java Trench (subduction front) to the Timor Through (collision front). It does not show still the effects of strong compression in contrast to islands of the outer arc system (Savu, Roti, Timor), while the magmatic units make up a substantial part of the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene stratigraphy.

Staying a Night in Elopada Southwest Sumba

 Story by : danieltrih's

 

By the month of May 2012, it has been 9 times for me back and forth visiting Sumba  island, and yet  the fascination of this mystical isolated island is still hovering inside my body , soul, and spirit. This time I got chance to  stay in Sumba South West, which is predominantly inhabited by the Weejewan or Wewewa , namely the biggest Ethnic group in the island, about 125,000 in numbers. We stayed in one community, located in the top of the hill, called Kampung Wonga,  Wonga Community. 

Marapu, Sumba’s Animist Religion

Marapu, Sumba’s Animist Religion More than 60% of the population of Sumba Marapu (a kind of religion that believes the spirit of ancestors). The rest are Christians (both Catholic and Protestant). Only a small number of pupulation is Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Cultural Tourism of West Sumba

Waitabar Village - West Sumba

Culture is the heritage that must be preserved because the culture is the image of the nation and is the nation's wealth can be an attraction and as a wealth of tourism. There are plenty of interesting cultural attractions, unique and still preserved by the people of West Sumba until now. Several tours of West Sumba, namely

The Story of Sumba’s Coffee

In the world of instant coffee or Starbucks‘s expansion,  i keep amaze of  how Sumba people still preserve traditional way to have a cup of coffee. Using firewoods, the dry coffee bean is roasted on iron wok for almost two hours. The secret of well made roasted Sumba coffee? A piece of cinnamon bark and a chunck of ginjer. Add those ingredients while you stir up the beans over and over again until the colour turns  black. Wait until it is cool for a while before it is ready to be ground.

Textiles with Tales to Tell

Sumba is one of the many islands in eastern Indonesia where the ancient art of tying, dying and weaving the complex ikat textiles is still practiced. The weavings’ motifs are rich in cultural lore and tradition. Many are still used as bride-wealth and in ceremonies for house raisings and funerals.

Although chemical dyes reached Indonesia over a century ago, the weavers in some isolated communities still use plant dyes. They are supported by Ubud-based Threads of Life, a certified Fair Trade business that helps traditional ikat-producing communities in Eastern Indonesia maintain their heritage of natural dyes. With its sister organization the NGO Yayasan Pecinta Budaya Bebali, Threads of Life is active in remote communities on the islands of Flores, Lembata, East Sumba, Timor, Savu, Rai Jua, Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra, West Kalimantan and Bali.

SUMBA

Story by : EW Johnson 

This is a true story about one of my adventures over a decade ago. I have taken great care to record things as they actually happened.

In college I would often roam around the old book archives in the basement of the library. One day I found an old book on remote societies. A picture in the book caught my eye. It had a small caption stating that the picture had been taken in Sumba but with no other information. At the time, I had no idea where Sumba was, but I was convinced that, one day, I would travel to that place. Further research revealed that Sumba was an island in Indonesia. Of course, I didn't know then how much of an impact that picture would have on my life.

Sumba Woven Fabric An Ancestors Skill Preserved

The apparel is not only about the beauty, nor is it only about image -it has been part of the human civilization. This rings especially true for the Sumbanese, who has since ancient time been august in creating and assembling their wardrobe…

 

The exhibition on Sumba, held in Jakarta recently, has reminded us that the island-one of the 550 in the East Nusa Tenggara province- is not only blessed with breathtaking underwater sceneries or magnificent pearls, but also stunning woven fabric.

AN INTRODUCTION TO KODI AND ITS CULTURAL LIFE

GENERAL IMAGE

Kodi is a district in West Sumba, and the Kodinese are an ethnic group which hail from that region.kodi’s topography is distinct from most other districts in Sumba, which comprise scattered hills, and narrow or wide valleys.

The district of Kodi consists almost entirely of low grassy plains. Its coast has clean white sandy beaches, which are usually adjacent to green fertile bushes and forests.Indeed these features make the coastline a wonderful panorama.

slip back in time in sumba

While Bali is indubitably great, if you ever feel like stepping back  in time, then head east to sumba

 Written by katy roberts

recently overheard a conversation at a café in which visitors were extolling the advantages of a Bali vacation. “Great coffee,” one said, another concurred and mentioned the “cool” boutiques on Jalan Oberoi (also called Jalan Laksamana). This shouldn’t have surprised me, what with Bali being what it is today, however this incident did remind me that a long time ago people visited the island for reasons that had little to do with either coffee or shopping. It was the culture and the contrast with heir own lives and not a cheaper serviced version of the West that interested them. While culture still proliferates in Bali, if you ever feel like stepping back in time, then head east to Sumba.

The Megalithic Beach in Sumba

ancient Megalithic in Sumba

Southwestern Sumba show its beauty through Kampung Ratenggaro. The village is special because it is situated on a cliff on the beach Ratewoyo. Its position overlooking the sea with huge waves breaking reef. Straight ahead, no more land until we came to Africa.

The village was originally located on the headland that is located right by the beach. But the tide causing abrasion and water into the house, so the residents decided to move the village to a higher cliff.

In the former village on the beach still remains a collection of megalithic stone graves. The shape is different from the graves of stone slabs piled like in the town of Waikabubak. The tomb stones here are made of stone intact with more than two meters high and decorated with writings and ancient drawings.

Sitting next to an ancient stone tomb with a beautiful beach watching the waves crashing, I understand why so adored will Sumba cultural richness and natural beauty. Soft white sandy beach flanked by rocks and high cliffs remind me of the Tanah Lot in Bali. Of course, the beach is far more beautiful and very quiet. Unfortunately I came when cloudy so could not watch the sunset.

On the beach I met old man named Thomas who play traditional musical instruments made ​​of wood. Excerpt dawainya add a sense of feel magical atmosphere in the place. Fatigue due to travel by bike for two hours straight loss.

The village is located in Kodi, West Sumba. Kodi is on the western tip of the island of Sumba. This place is about 80 kilometers from the city where I stay, Waikabubak. Viewed in this roadmap a little play, but this is the way the conditions are best.

This time I was escorted by a guide named Timothy Pingge, a native of Sumba. Although he says the way we passed the best condition, still we need to go through puddles and potholes road. Throughout the trip we met a group of school children who smile and friendly greeting every rider who passed them. “Afternoon mother, father day,” they said. Rain clouds hanging so many times we had to take shelter from the rain.

Rice fields, houses on the roadside with a grave stone in the yard, ravine and forest into a wonderful treat for the eyes along the journey. Before leaving, we bought a souvenir of the villagers. Rooms for the gentlemen, betel nut for the mothers and candy to the kids.


Living in such a beautiful area had little effect on the welfare of villagers. Segelitir only from those who make a living from the sea. Moreover, this village consists of only five traditional houses. Fires burned four years ago almost all houses in the village. Of the 13 houses, only one survivor.

Indigenous Villages Sumba did have a high fire risk. Roofs made ​​of thatch flammable in the dry season. The fire spread in the wind, so the fires usually destroy all houses in the region.

Rebuilding the custom house was not cheap. Villagers told me that a house requires four main pillars to remain standing. “One timber cost the same as a buffalo, “said the occupants of the village. That’s just the cost for the main mast, not counting the cost to build the walls, floor and roof. Besides the costs, the materials are easily obtained from the original forest is now increasingly difficult to find.

Next I visited the Kampung Paronabaroro. The condition of villages in this region is different from the village that I browse in the town of Waikabubak earlier. Remote location that makes this village is still very simple. Marapu belief still held closely by its residents.
 

The old woman  wearing a cloth. Men and women chew betel nut which makes them red saliva kesumba. This custom began in teens and make the lips look like wearing red lipstick. Horses tied to the side of the house as a symbol of social status.

The entrance to this village along a path about 4 miles. At the front of the village there is a full clearing the newer grave stone. Some have been modified by using cement, stone is no longer intact.

Grave stones with older age is located in the center of the village. The complex surrounds a grave stone altar where the conduct traditional ceremonies. Not just anyone can set foot into places that are considered sacred.

Electricity had just entered the region in late January. The power source comes from the generator fuel is filled by a joint venture with several villages in the vicinity. To save money, they only use it at night.

Source : http://amazingnotes.com

The Last Event Of Pasola in 2012. Dont Miss It !!!

The Pasola Attraction

For those who haven't had time to witness the unique tradition on the island of Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The last event of Pasola in 2012 will be held on March 2012 and Will take place in  two districts namely West Sumba and Southwest Sumba.


On Pasola attraction, men in colorful robes, they were saddling the horses, divided into 2 groups and at full gallop, throwing spears at each other.


To come to Sumba Island you can get through two entrances by air, that is through the Tambolaka Airport in Southwest Sumba and Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport in East Sumba with the previous transit in Kupang or Denpasar - Bali for those who derived from outside of East Nusa Tenggara Province.


The Pasola Schedule on March 2012:

•      Pasola Wanokaka in West Sumba: Tuesday, March 13, 2012
•      Pasola Wainyapu, Kodi Balaghar in Southwest Sumba: Friday, March 16, 2012

Do not miss this rare opportunity and you can also enjoy a unique culinary offerings called  Nyale.


Each year before Pasola attraction begins will be preceded by a ceremony. Priests (Rato) are  go to sea, and to predict the form of worms, what will be the harvest of next year


COME TO SUMBA AND SEE THE UNIQUE TRADITION OF PASOLA. YOU ARE ALL INVITED

PASOLA SUMBA 2012 SCHEDULE RELEASED

The Pasola Sumba Attraction

The Pasola Kodi 2012 schedule in Southwest Sumba District - East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia finally released by the Rato (elder) Pasola.


The Schedule was released in Kodi sub-district on Monday (1/27/2012) in a meeting that was attended by Rato Pasola of Mbokubani village, Wainyapu village and Tossi village.

February 13, 2012:
Pasola Homba Kalayo, district. Kodi Bangedo.


February 15, 2012:
Bondo Pasola Kawango, district. Kodi.


February 16, 2012:
Rara Pasola Winyo, district. Kodi.


March 16, 2012: 

Pasola Wainyapu, district. kodi Balaghar.


Source: Tourism Office Southwest Sumba


"During the Pasola Event, the Cultural Festival will be held" said Doni Wungo, the staff of the Tourism Departement.


With the Schedule released then the implementation of Pasola Kodi Event 2012 has been fixed and visitors from outside the island of Sumba, can be able to make the arrival schedule to Southwest Sumba, Indonesia.




More information of Southwest Sumba District, please visit : Moripanet Online

Underground Adventure surf-trip Sumba double combo (Kallala and Tarimbang)

Kalala Beach

Are you tired of a crowded line up, full of lots of nervous people and tense atmosphere, localisms? Underground Adventure organises surf camps where the surf spots are just for you.

Underground Adventure organizes surf camp on the lovely Indonesian island of Sumba where surf spots are only accessible by boat or participants of surf camp, which will ensure a peaceful atmosphere, lot of waves and yours surfing progress.

Underground Adventure offers you to explore the beauty and solitude of the island of Sumba and discover an unforgettable almost untouched surf spots.These are the surf spots, places, people and culture what is talking about Rob Machado in movie Drifter. 

Underground Adventure surf camp Sumba suits for beginners, advanced and expert surfers, there you will find the right waves for you. Surf trip will be held at two different locations approximately 5.5 hours journey far away, during which you will be able to see the beauty of the island of Sumba. At both places you will be accommodated close to the beach and the surf spots with different types of waves won’t be further than 100m. For beginners there are also beach breaks in both Tarimbang and Kallala.

Surf trip will take place at the end of the dry season in the September in two 10-days 9 night intervals, the waves are still good but not that big like in August (3 feet - 6 feet daily average) and are more suitable for learning. Those who want to ride a massive waves, will have the opportunity, because proper swell usually comes within 10 days period.

Underground Adventure surf trip will take place at two locations so you can get known the bes the beauty of Sumba Island.

Underground Adventure surfcamp and fisherman camp Kallala

Underground Adventure Kallala surf and fisherman camp is on deserted place about 10 meters from the beach and surf spots in Mr. David place near a small fishing village Kalalla where is no other possible accommodation, which will guarantee waves just for you.
Thanks very consistent waves from the Indian Ocean that comes from the south, you can surf almost every day. Prevalent winds at this period are southwest, that is for Kallala off shore. When tide is low it is always blowing off shore winds.

Marten and Cindy Underground Adventure surfcamp in Tarimbang

This camp is located near one of the most beautiful and breathtaking beaches in Indonesia, just 50 meters from the beach and surf spot. In the middle of wilderness on the edge of the world, you will be able to surf a very very long right point break, (waves breaking on the tip of the bay of coral reef).
Perfectly shaped waves offer epic surfing where you will get several barrel sections and some flat funny section. If a swell is too big it is not suitable for beginners, but there is also beach break which offers surfing for very beginners.
This is not a suitable spot to surf in the high tide and wind can easily damage the waves, therefore Underground Adventure surf trip will take place at a time when the low tide is early in the morning, so you might get known this spot in the true beauty.
For those who will be full of surfing we can arrange day hikes to waterfalls pounding, or to local tribal villages with a local guide. 



Source: undergroundadventure.eu